The Nashville Predators are not yet complete and ready for next season. The team is just $600,000 under the salary cap and still have to sign Philip Tomasino and Juuso Parssinen, two young pieces that will be important to the lineup now and in the future. With that challenge, the Predators will have to make at least one trade in order to open some cap space for 2024-25. If Nashville can ship two of them off in one trade, that's an absolute win. There is one forward and two defensemen that are at the top of the list in terms of who the Predators should trade to not only free up space, but open up roster spots. These players include Cody Glass, Dante Fabbro, and Luke Schenn. Of the three, Glass and Fabbro still have some potential to live up to their contracts. Schenn on the other hand is older and the team has acquired enough winners that his leadership isn't necessarily as valued as it was last season. Nashville Predators general manager Barry Trotz speaks to the media following a busy first day of free agency on July 1, 2024. It wouldn't make sense to trade both Fabbro and Schenn this offseason though. The multi-player trade would have to include one of them and also Glass. This is due to Tomasino and Parssinen needing playing time on top of the Predators needing the money to first sign them. The best scenario, whether Nashville gets anything back for any of the three players in a deal, would be to just move off of the contracts and package two of them in a trade. Schenn has two years left on his contract at $2.75 million, but both Glass and Fabbro have one year left at $2.5 million. Just trading one would open the necessary cap space in order to sign the two young forwards, but if one of Fabbro or Schenn aren't dealt, there is less opportunity for Spencer Stastney this coming season and he's deserving of a full-time NHL role at this point, regardless of his two-way deal. Moving Schenn would take care of 2025-26 as well, but trading a defenseman and Glass would solve all of the Predators' problems. Trading one player would help get the team into the season, but moving two might help next season as well as open some space for the trade deadline as the Predators should be in a position to add at that point in the season. Glass, Fabbro, and Schenn didn't have the seasons they could or seasons expected of them and all played less than they should due to that while being paid at least $2.5 million per year. It's logical to think that at least one will be traded by Nashville before 2024-25 starts, but ideally more than one will be dealt to complete the roster. RECENT PREDATORS NEWS Podcast: Bally Sports, Luke Evangelista & Predators' Salary Cap Issues [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/nashville-predators/podcasts/podcast-bally-sports-luke-evangelista-predators-salary-cap-issues] Predators' Carrier Has to Carry Over Strong Playoff Performance Into New Contract [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/nashville-predators/latest-news/predators-carrier-has-to-carry-over-strong-playoff-performance-into-new-contract] Podcast: A Conversation with Former Predators Assistant Coach Dan Hinote [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/nashville-predators/podcasts/podcast-a-conversation-with-former-predators-assistant-coach-dan-hinote] Predators' Evangelista Has 2024-25 to Prove He is a Top-6 Winger [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/nashville-predators/latest-news/predators-evangelista-has-2024-25-to-prove-he-is-a-top-6-winger]
